How to Interview a Winemaker via Text Message

Wine Consumer Magazine has an interesting idea when it comes to interviewing a winemaker: conduct the interview via text message. Sean Piper asks the questions and Garnet Vineyards Winemaker Alison Crowe answers from the California winery. It got me thinking about how technology can shape the interview experience and if this would be especially beneficial for the wine industry. So I turned to Geek Wire's Mónica Guzmán, a Seattle journalist and community strategist who consults for startups and media, to address these two issues. My questions for her:


How does the use of text messaging as a platform for an interview strike you as unique? Does the technology transform the interaction between interviewer and interviewee?

"It's unique in its packaging and in its associations. We text with friends and family, mostly, to make plans or share asides in our lives. I haven't run into many of these, but if anything it seems to transform the interaction between interviewer and interviewee into a conversation between friends."


Can interviewing via text message make a topic like wine, that can be intimidating, look and feel friendlier?

"Yeah, sure. This example seems to. The format puts emphasis on the people rather than the topic. When someone hands you their phone to catch you up on an inside joke between friends exchanged through texts - that's a bit how this feels. Like you're getting a peek at a close knit relationship."

Jameson Fink has a decade of wine industry and blogging experience. Saveur Magazine nominated his site, jamesonfink.com, for a 2013 Best Food Blog Award in the Wine/Beer Category. He is a tireless advocate for year-round rosé consumption and enjoys a glass of Champagne alongside a bowl of popcorn.